N.J. towns taken by surprise at Gov. Christie’s $139 million in cuts

New Jersey’s struggling cities and towns are out $139 million in state aid that was presumed before Gov. Chris Christie scrubbed the appropriation in a spate of 11th-hour vetoes from this year’s state budget.The cuts are so severe that many don’t expect them to stand. But if they do, towns will be hit hard: Camden was anticipating $69 million, nearly 40 percent of the city budget being drafted. Trenton, which was counting on $24 million, will see its budget deficit nearly quadruple. And Asbury Park, already awarded $10.4 million, will be unable to balance its $42 million budget — unless it raises the local tax levy by 101 percent. http://bit.ly/nd3DxY